WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. March 20, 2006 UPDATED 2:57 P.M. E.S.T.:  A spokesperson for the New York State Office of Courts Adminstration, David Bookstaver contacted WPCNR moments ago, and reported that the police officers who questioned Ben Hider, the White Plains citizen who attempted to take a picture at the White Plains County Courthouse Friday were New York State Court Officers.

Bookstaver said "What happened to Mr. Hider was most unfortunate and inconsistent with our policies, and we are going to reach out to Mr. Hider and apologize to him. We are also going to make crystal clear what our policies are towards the taking of pictures of public buildings. What happened was inappropriate."

According to a letter just received by WPCNR from Mr. Hider (before Mr. Bookstaver's call), who wrote WPCNR of being harrassed by police at the County Courthouse Friday morning for attempting to take photographs of the courthouse, the officers questioning him in an intimidating manner, he alleges, mislead him into thinking they were White Plains Police. He writes:

Apparently they must have been Court Police or County Police. When they had  taken my photo they said that White Plains Police had finished with me.

But  according to Inspector Jackson (of the White Plains Department of Public Safety), they were not on his police force?? He seemed annoyed with me, that I had told you it was White Plains Police, but  how was I to know? I just went with what they said (the police at the court house) and then when I called  Inspector Jackson on Friday to give him a badge number, he never called me  back. This whole thing is really starting to annoy me more now.

I am meeting with the Journal News this afternoon to be photographed outside
of the building!!